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Deal on proposed scrap metal regulations could be reached this week

Photo by DAVID HALL/CRAIN'S DETROIT BUSINESS
Beau Taylor, interim director of Detroit's Public Lighting Department, estimates that the city-owned electrical grid loses to theft up to $1 million a year in copper infrastructure.

A deal on a controversial scrap metal bill is close to being reached, and legislative action is expected this week, according to Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe.

Richardville told reporters after today’s Senate session that House Bill 4593 could see action in the Senate on Wednesday. “They are working out the final details on it,” Richardville said.

The House could take action this afternoon on the bill, which was revised last week in the Senate.

Richardville said he met this morning with House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall, the committee chairs and supporters of the bill.

“They put a reasonable compromise in there,” Richardville said. “It’s not everything that everybody wants, but what is, really?”

Richardville did not give details of the compromise.

The legislation would expand regulations for recycling metals and create a better paper trail to identify stolen goods and track sellers who are operating outside the law.

But the bill has been hung up on details of how the regulations would be implemented — whether sellers would receive cash upon delivering their items to the scrap yard or wait to receive a check.

Creating a database to track scrap metal sales also has been discussed.

The issue has been of particular interest to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who called for fighting scrap metal theft in his State of the City address in February and recently visited lawmakers in Lansing to personally lobby for the bill’s passage.

Richardville said he thinks Duggan’s efforts made a difference.

“Mike’s voice is an important one,” he said. “He’s got a vested interest in this.”

As Crain’s reported last week, theft of scrap metals could be costing Detroit and Detroit Public Schools together more than $25,000 a day.

“It’s going to help the city of Detroit and other places, as well,” Richardville said.